


can you tell me which road leads to your heart?

by dreamiesficfest, johnshuaa



Series: Dear Dream - Dreamies Fic Fest (Second Wave) [7]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Driving, Fluff, M/M, Mild Angst, Uber, and they're cute so whatever, but so is Mark, jaemin is kinda dumb sometimes, mark and jaemin are both flirty af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 10:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18519916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamiesficfest/pseuds/dreamiesficfest, https://archiveofourown.org/users/johnshuaa/pseuds/johnshuaa
Summary: Prompt Number: #DD058Jaemin finds himself in Mark’s car, Ubering back home at twelve am, and decides that his shitty pickup lines could come to good use for once.





	can you tell me which road leads to your heart?

**Author's Note:**

> Notes from the Author: Yah girl writes a fic about Ubering despite never having been on one before ahahaha. This fic is a whole 5k longer than originally intended oops.

To be brutally honest, Jeno is absolutely way too protective for his own good, in a way that’s almost borderline creepy uncle twice his age, when truly, he’s only supposed to be that older brother in college who will never stop babying his little brother, that kind of protective.

He’s bent all the rules for Jaemin, always forming impossible excuses when Jaemin gets in trouble, altering his entire lifestyle to fit Jaemin’s reckless actions. But the fact that he’s gone against the Uber app gods for one, stupid little thing, is absolute _bullshit._ He’s spent the last who knows how long pleading for Jaemin to find one reliable driver that was not either a) a serial killer, b) a rapist, or c) Jeno himself, because despite being adamant on not driving Jaemin places anymore, he’s also incredibly involved in Jaemin’s transportation details.

Thus, when Jaemin randomly calls yet another Uber from Jeno’s apartment (damn his rich parents) to get a ride across campus, Jeno walks him down to the lobby, and they spy the ugly blue Honda Civic parked right in the front.

“Jaemin, last time it was a Toyota, was it not?” Jeno says, eyeing the clearly different car from the week before.

“Oh… He got a new car?” Jaemin replies, adding a slow shrug and a stupid grin. Jeno really _has_ no idea how Ubers work, does he?

“I swear to god, how many times do I have to tell you to just find one person—”

Jaemin slaps a heavy hand on Jeno’s shoulder. “Brother, let me tell you one last time, that’s now how Ubers work.”

Jeno furrows his eyebrows. “But last time you said—”

“They changed the terms and agreements… Yesterday,” Jaemin offers, and he’s truly pulling at straws here, hoping Jeno’s oblivion to the Uber world will save his ass. Again.

“Well, you’re still the customer, and you get to decide that, don’t you?”

Jaemin’s about to protest, but Jeno shoves at his shoulders to push him out of the lobby.

“If this guy is trustworthy, you’ll stick with him from now on, alright?”

“Do you know how much of a hassle that would be?? I’m socially fucked!” But Jaemin is already out the door and a few steps away from the Honda. Jeno approaches first and knocks on the window, in a way that is hardly polite

Jaemin was prepared for a long lecture about safety and non-con from Jeno, but he gets nothing. Instead—

“Hello sir, my name is— Oh hey Mark!”

 _Mark?_  

Jaemin pushes up to his toes to peer past Jeno’s shoulder, and sure enough, it’s college and Instagram-famous student, Mark Lee himself. (Jaemin could recognize that face anywhere, because Jeno and Jeno talk about him 24/7, and definitely not because has spent hours stalking Mark’s Instagram after Jeno first mentioned him.)

“Hey Jeno. Were you the one who needed a ride?” Mark Lee has a pair of round spectacles perched on his nose that slid down ever so slightly. Jaemin is actually ready to interrogate Jeno on how he managed to become friends with someone so hot.

“No, actually. I’m too cynical to allow a stranger to drive me around at night to my house! But my friend right here, Jaemin,” Jeno turns to said Jaemin, his face contorted in a painful smile. “He’s absolutely down for that kind of stuff!”

Nevermind, Jeno probably didn’t naturally become friends with Mark. 

Mark jerks his head towards the backseat. “Hop in, then. I’ll see you around, Jeno.”

Jaemin pushes Jeno to the side to open the back door of the Honda, but Jeno grabs ahold of Jaemin’s arm for a moment. “You better stay with him as an Uber from now on, because I will actually murder you if I don’t see this Honda Civic outside my apartment, even though I think Honda Civics are absolutely ugly, understood?”

Jaemin rolls his eyes, sliding into the car seat. He’s really tempted to just shut the door on his nose now. “Jeno, that’s not how it—”

“ _Mark!_ ” Jeno whines. “You’re my friend, right?”

“Yeah, sure dude,” Mark says glancing back towards the two of them. The round glasses on his nose is really making Jaemin go into a gay crisis. 

Jeno shuts the door like a gentleman for Jaemin, then crosses back over to lean on the open window of the front passenger seat.

“Give my lil’ Jaemin here your number, if that’s all right. I just don’t want him to get murdered by an Uber driver because I’ll have to pay for his funeral. Not that you’re just gonna be his designated driver or anything—”

 _Yeah right,_ Jaemin scoffs under his breath.

“He’s just a very killable type, in my opinion. You won’t kill him right, Mark Lee?” Jeno sounds more like the serial killer with that threat, laced with a hint of actual venom.

“No offense, but you know I have other customers, right? I can’t just cater to you,” Mark turns again to face Jaemin. “Not that there’s anything wrong with you, of course. I just won’t be able to solely—”

“Yeah, of course, I get it. Jeno’s just being bitchy,” Jaemin states, and if not for the large seat blocking him, Jaemin would get a kick to the stomach. “I apologize on his behalf.”

Jeno waves his hand and cocks his head. “Hello, I’m right here, you know.”

“No worries, I get it. He’ll make it home alive and in one piece as long as he’s in this car,” Mark states, putting his right hand over his heart. “Boy scouts honor.”

Jaemin wants to coo at little twelve-year-old Mark in his little Boy Scouts Uniform, badges and all. But he realizes how creepy it is to even _think_ like that and shuts down his nervous system as a whole.

“Good. If I find him dead tomorrow morning, I’ll kick both of you in the ass.” Jeno pauses, but finally scoots back to stand on the sidewalk, away from the car. “And, uh, Jaemin?”

Jaemin doesn’t really want to look at Jeno, and perhaps Mark senses that, because he begins to roll the window back up.

“Delete the Uber app!”

The ride home isn’t incredibly awkward as Jaemin thought it would be, especially after Jeno’s odd conversation leaving the two of them both mortified that they would even relate themselves to Jeno. Instead, Jaemin pulls out his phone (which is dangerously reaching below 20%) to distract himself from the fact that Mark would occasionally glance at the rearview mirror and almost, _almost_ catch Jaemin’s somber gaze. 

The fact that Mark’s looking slightly disheveled, as if working after a long day attending classes, makes Jaemin’s heart hurt. _He must be tired_ , Jaemin thinks. Realization hits him a moment later, but his mouth has always acted faster than his brain.

“How come you’re an Uber driver? I thought you were… You know,” Jaemin trails off. The car that was originally peacefully quiet is consumed in an awkward silence. 

“Famous, or whatever?” Mark says, and this time, their eyes meet in the rearview mirror. Mark’s glasses are tucked square on his face this time, not threatening to slide off every other second like earlier. 

“I promise I’m not trying to offend you!” Jaemin’s quick to say. “Just curious.”

They reach a red light, and Mark slowly eases into a stop. “I’m on a full-ride scholarship right now. That’s my little ‘extra help’ to keep me going. This is what I do so I don’t have to eat ramen for the rest of my life.”

“Oh.”

The car begins to move again. Jaemin takes the moment to marvel at Mark’s resilience. A biochemistry major, working with the research directors already despite being an undergraduate, as well as captaining the swim team for the second year in a row, and now, an Uber driver. Jaemin is actually weighing the option that Mark Lee might be a robot.

“How do you manage to do everything that you do then? Oh, you can turn right there for a short cut.”

Mark does as told, easing into a slower speed for the small road. “I just try my best, I guess. It’s not easy, but it works.” 

That’s a confirmation that the dark bags under Mark’s eyes aren’t just a trick of shadow, and they’re actually there. Jaemin feels bad, ever so slightly, though it’s really none of his business.

“Why Uber driving then?” Jaemin asks instead. The ride to the dorms is quickly coming to an end, and if he’s honest, he wants to learn as much about the famous Mark Lee while he can, before they split and perhaps never talk again.

“Driving is easy. It feels natural. If anything, it’s the one thing that isn’t extremely chaotic in my life right now,” Mark says, pulling up at the curb in front of the university’s east side dorms. “That is, when I get nice customers like you.”

Jaemin flushes pink, though it’s really not a compliment, just common courtesy. “It’s just being a good person,” he replies and opens the car door.

The harsh nighttime air of autumn stabs Jaemin right in the face, and he realizes how high the heater must have been in Mark’s car. He quickly shuts the door so that the cold air won’t ruin the warm circulation. 

The driver seat window rolls down, and Mark props his elbow on the edge, leaning out slightly. “Have a good night, Jaemin.”

For some reason, Jaemin didn’t think Mark would even remember his name. He presses a bill into Mark’s hand. “I’ll give you a good rating, of course.”

“You aren’t deleting the app?”

Jaemin shakes his head, taking small steps backwards to the sidewalk, closer to the dorm entrance. “No, I’m going to need it for future trips. Don’t wanna burden you with all the work you have.”

“I won’t mind, really,” Mark calls out, now that the two of them are far, far apart. Jaemin really, really wants to go back there to get his number. But this is the first time he’s met him, and forcing Mark to become his permanent driver comes off just a _little_ too strong.

“It’s alright, I’ll see you around. I’m at Jeno’s place pretty often anyways.” Jaemin offers one last little wave and smile, before grabbing the handle of the front door of the dorm and walking in. 

He might have heard Mark reply, something along the lines of, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

And, Jaemin sends in a five-star review later that evening.

 

A week later, Jaemin finds himself in the comforts of Jeno’s apartment again, clinging on desperately to his textbook instead of opening it and _reading_ , like it suggests on the first-page manual titled, “How to use this book.”

Rather, he lies upside down on Jeno’s twin sized bed and fake-cries until Jeno would turn around from his computer and talk to his best friend like a real man.

“The actual fuck do you want, dude? We’re like, a week away from midterms,” Jeno hisses. Jaemin continues to whine, this time throwing his textbook to the ground and grabbing a pillow to scream into. Luckily, the only thing within Jeno’s radius is his expensive laptop, which he would _never, ever_ toss at Jaemin, even if it is to shut him up. 

“I don’t wanna study.”

Jeno sighs and gently closes his oh-so-costly laptop, despite the mild annoyance brewing in his eyes. “Does anyone?”

“I guess not.” Jaemin reaches around for his phone, laying somewhere on the bed. He finds it and checks the time. It’s reaching midnight, and the RA already hates him for always going back to the dorms so late. “Hey, I’m gonna get going, yeah?”

Jaemin’s just about to click into the Uber app when Jeno snatches the phone away from him. He tucks it behind his back, away from Jaemin. 

“Dude, what are you doing?” Jaemin attempts to reach around, but Jeno just ducks away.

“I _told_ you to delete the app! I get worried! We don’t really live in the best side of town, you know,” Jeno reasons, pulling the phone in front of him so he can delete the app himself. Jaemin uses this as a chance to wrestle it back.

“Ubers are literally the safest way of transport, what are you on?” Jaemin crawls away from Jeno and huddles into the corner of the bed. Really, Jeno’s just being cynical for no reason, and Jaemin’s not having any of it tonight. “I’ll be _fine_. Plus, you literally live next to an elementary school, how unsafe could it be?”

Jeno huffs, but sits back down at his desk. “I should just move back into the dorms with you so you don’t have to keep Ubering here. It’s bad for your bank account and my sanity.”

“Then there wouldn’t be a reason for me to go to the Shake Shack here!” Jaemin crawls off the bed now that Jeno has calmed down ever-so-slightly. He grabs his textbook and shoves it into his backpack. “You know the fries here are a million times better than the stuff on campus.”

“Yeah…” Jeno opens the door for Jaemin and shuffles behind him. The walk down the stairs is silent, with Jaemin requesting an Uber and Jeno crossing his arms to brace himself against the cold as they go outside.

Jaemin’s not sure why Jeno’s so adamant on getting a personalized driver for him. It’s not like this part of town is shady, and nor is the trip from the apartment to campus. And with all the special features in the Uber app to ensure the safest trip for both riders and drivers, there’s absolutely no reason to worry so much. Maybe Jeno just watches too many crime shows where the taxi driver takes advantage—

He tries to shut his mind up before it goes too far.

“Uh, I’m sorry about last week, by the way.” Jeno scratches at the back of his neck, a small grimace on his face. “For embarrassing you in front of Mark…”

Jaemin goes red, and it’s not from the cold. “ _That’s what you’re worried about?_ ”

“Hey, don’t think I don’t see you stalking his Instagram like, twice a day.”

“No I don’t!” Jaemin slaps Jeno’s arm.

“Yeah, you do. And you scroll back to his old posts too. It’s weird.”

“No it’s not!”

Jeno elbows Jaemin in the ribs. “I won’t tell. I’d rather he not find _you_ to be the creepy one instead of the other way around.”

Jaemin is absolutely certain that his face is red from the cold air around them only. 

The two wait for a few more minutes, Jaemin with his hands deep inside the pockets of his hoodie in an attempt to keep his temperature up. Every time he breathes, a puff of white follows. All he wants to do is curl up in a warm car and sleep on the way back. He has work tomorrow morning, and the bitter cold only makes him hate his life a tiny bit more.

Jeno spots the car first. It rolls up into the same parking spot as the other day, the Honda Civic in all its glory. “Hey, isn’t that Mark—”

The window of the car rolls down, and of course, in all his glory, is Mark Lee with his round glasses, dark hair disheveled as if he just woke up. 

Mark waves, and despite how tired he looks, his smile is bright, happy, making Jaemin warm in his chest, almost enough to fight the cold. 

“See you, Jeno,” Jaemin says quietly, practically completely ignoring Jeno’s last protests before he climbs into the backseat. It’s much warmer inside, not enough to woo him to sleep, but enough to make him grateful that he didn’t have to walk back.

“Hey.”

Mark’s eyes find Jaemin’s through the rearview mirror, and Jaemin can’t help but grin. It’s almost endearing that despite only meeting the second time, Mark actually takes the time to greet him.

“I didn’t think you would be awake at this time. Or near here,” Jaemin replies instead. He crosses his arms over his chest as Mark starts his engine, and they set off again. “I thought you lived on campus.”

“Yeah, I do. But there are more shops around here, so business is a bit better.”

Somehow, the street manages to glow a little brighter than usual. The traffic lights feel more vibrant, the headlights flashing more intensely. Jaemin has never really noticed how colorful the night could be, at least not until now, looking out the window from Mark Lee’s backseat. 

It’s nearly one am, on a Thursday night. Jaemin didn’t have any classes until next week, but had to catch up on some well-needed sleep and homework. Yet he can’t help but wonder, _how could Mark have the time to do everything?_

“I have good time management I guess,” Mark says. He turns off the main street and to the dorm parking lot. “And I’ve never needed a lot of sleep to function.”

Jaemin should probably _not_ be with people when he’s sleep-deprived; his brain to mouth filter has shut down and he hasn’t even noticed until now.

“Must be nice,” Jaemin mumbles. The car comes to a halt, fitted in the priority parking space. “Well, that went quicker than I thought.”

Mark physically turns around this time. “I think you might have fallen asleep on the way.

Jaemin blushes. “I, uh— Did not mean to do that.”

“Only for a couple minutes, max.” Mark laughs quietly. “You should get inside soon. I’m pretty sure Jungwoo doesn’t appreciate you walking in the hallways so early.”

“Yeah, he hates me already— Wait, how do you know Jungwoo’s the RA?” Jaemin sits up, wanting to lean forwards towards the gap in between the two front seats, to talk to Mark in a less awkward position. But in the end, Mark’s just a driver who, by chance, managed to pick Jaemin up twice. Those chances become slimmer every time Jaemin uses that Uber app.

“He’s my roommate.”

Jaemin guffaws. “You mean— You live—”

“Yeah.” Mark shrugs it off as if it’s nothing. “I’m hardly there though with all my work. Sometimes I end up sleeping in the car on accident.”

“That can’t be good for you! Spine problems! You could get kidnapped!”

(Later that night, Jaemin would think back to what he said and realize how he had become just as fussy as Jeno)

“I’m always on the campus parking lot for that. As for the spine problem… I’ll see a chiropractor?”

Jaemin is actually _extremely_ tempted to whack Mark across the back of the head for his stupidity, despite how truly book-smart he is. “Be a regular person, dude. Stop trying so hard.”

Mark scratches at the back of his neck, and Jaemin can easily tell it’s a nervous habit of his. “I can’t really help it…”

Jaemin scoots towards the door and opens it. “Then go in and sleep. It’s too early, and I’m betting you have work to do tomorrow anyways.”

“I can’t, really. I need to get in a bit more driving tonight.”

Jaemin scoffs. “It’s _two am_.”

“Time is money, Jaemin.”

“I hardly believe there’ll be any more customers at this hour.”

“It’s a college campus. There’s _always_ people who need rides now.”

Jaemin makes a face, close to a grimace but not quite there. “I don’t want to know what that entails.”

Mark shrugs. “I just give them a low rating.”

“See, Uber _is_ an effective service!”

Chuckling, Mark unlocks the car doors. “Have a nice night, Jaemin.”

Jaemin really, really looks up wot Mark. A lot. The fact that he can handle school, sports, and a job all at the same time makes him an _absolute_ force of nature. “You really are something, Mark,” Jaemin says, and he sees the barely-there glint of pride in Mark’s eyes. “Go make some more cash.”

He hops out of the car, hands on his phone so he can rate the drive. He’s unwilling, though, because what are the chances Mark would be the one to pick him up again? 

“Hey!”

Mark’s window rolls down, and he has his own phone in his hands, leaning against the door with his head and arms hanging out. “I was thinking about what Jeno said. The other night.”

“Oh, Lord.” Jaemin wipes his palm down his face to hide his embarrassment. 

“Give me your phone.”

Jaemin reluctantly hands it over. Whenever any of his friends take his phone, it’s never ended up pretty, usually just a slight decrease in his Venmo number, and a slew of ugly selfies taking over his precious storage space.

Mark types quickly with his thumbs and hovers for a moment, before finally clicking the last time and handing the phone back.

“That’s my number. Text me if you need a ride around here.”

“Oh, no, Mark, I couldn’t burden you like that—”

“You’re on campus most of the time, it’s hardly a hassle,” Mark shakes off, smiling. It’s small, but reverberates through the dimly lit parking lot.

“I— I won’t call unless it’s an absolute emergency. I feel _really_ bad. I’ll just Uber, it’s not a big deal.” _Yes_ , Jaemin’s rambling again, but when is he not?

“Oh, uh…” Mark reaches up to press the home button. Jaemin’s app layout has all shifted over a spot, and he finds the space where his Uber app used to be taken over by a folder of social media. “The deal was that you wouldn’t Uber at all.”

“Seriously? You let him talk you into that?” Jaemin wants to throw himself at a concrete wall at this point.

“You don’t _have_ to call me for a ride. But my number’s there. If you need it. For… communication.”

“Very smooth, Mark. Very smooth.” Jaemin turns on his heels to walk towards the dorm. He lifts a hand to wave, but doesn’t bother to look back over at Mark. (Because he’s indifferent about him, not because he’s a shade of bright pink.) “Have a nice night, then.”

It’s quiet, enough not to disturb the rest of the block, but Jaemin hears the mechanical pull of the window and a, “you too,” from behind him. 

 

When Jaemin opens his texts, he finds the new contact, saves as Mark, with a little car emoji next to it. And, a notification. A new follower on Instagram, none other than Mark Lee himself.

Oh, and a string of texts in the group chat asking why the fuck Mark followed him back.

“No, Jaemin, you can’t smuggle a crate of puppies into your room. I’ve made the sign extra big, on your side of the dorm, just because you keep _asking._ ”

“Why do you always assume I’m here about puppies?”

“Because it’s the only reason you ever come talk to me. On your own accord.”

Jaemin purses his lips. “Okay, _maybe_ you’re right. But puppies bring happiness, so I still don’t see why you’re so against it.

Jungwoo sighs, before signing off his name at the bottom of the form in front of him, then slipping it into a manila folder. “Because puppies also bring pee and allergies.”

“But not that many people here are allergic!”

“ _Yes, there are_.” Jungwoo tucks the folder under his arm and stands from his desk, ready to leave the office completely. 

“Then give me a list of people! I’ll just tell them not to come over when the puppies are here!”

“Jaemin, for the last time, no is _no._ ”

Jaemin pouts, but follows Jungwoo out to the hallway nonetheless. They walk down the halls once, then back down it the other way around. The third time through, Jungwoo stops abruptly and turns towards Jaemin. “Did you need something?”

“Oh, yeah!” Jaemin says. “I wanted to ask you about your roommate.”

Jungwoo freezes. “How do you know I have a roommate…”

“Because your roommate told me that you were his roommate… Why do you sound surprised?”

“I didn’t think you of all people would know him that well.” Jungwoo actually looks a bit sick to the stomach at that.

Jaemin fakes an appalled face. “Are you saying I’m too stupid?”

“Oh my god,” Jungwoo groans. “Literally, just get out.”

Jungwoo speedwalks to the RA office, but Jaemin jogs to catch up again. “How often does Mark actually sleep in the dorm?”

“You know, you’re the first person to ask _me_ about him. Mark doesn’t like people knowing about his private life much. How do you even _know_ him?”

“He’s my… Uber driver,” Jaemin pauses. “Well, ex-Uber driver. He won’t let me use it anymore.”

Jungwoo’s face contorts into that of pure confusion. “Excuse me?”

“I- long story. We’re friends. Tell me more.”

“About Mark?”

“No, about your parents- yes, of course about Mark.”

Jungwoo sighs heavily again, pulling open the door to his office without much care. He collapses into his chair out of pure exhaustion, of his job or of Jaemin. “Well, he’s one reason why we can’t have the puppies.”

“No way. I’ll have to talk to him about that.”

Jungwoo takes a deep breath to calm himself. “What are you gonna do, send him to therapy until he isn’t allergic?” He leans back in his chair, propping his legs on the little cabinet on the side of his desk. When it wobbles precariously, he quickly puts his feet back to the floor.

“I don’t think that would work, Woo.”

Jungwoo’s head falls backward, neck braced by the top of the chair. “Why do I even bother.”

Jaemin slides into the seat opposite of Jungwoo and laces his fingers together, elbows propped on the desk. “Because I’m your favorite!”

“You’re so far off that it might as well be right.”

“See!” Jaemin plucks open the glass jar on the table, filled to the brim with Oreos. He takes two, one on top of the folder in front of Jungwoo, and one in his mouth. “Now, spill.”

“I’m pretty sure this is an invasion of privacy and against every school policy, as well as my ethics, Jaemin.” Jungwoo looks like he’s about to grab the toaster behind him and knock Jaemin out with it.

“Okay, I just need to know one thing! How often does he actually stay here? This is for his own good.” Jaemin slaps his hands on the desk and leans forward in an attempt at intimidation. “He’s in desperate need of sleep and-”

There’s a knock on the glass door, and of course, it’s Mark behind it, in a black hoodie with the Uber logo on the chest. He has the hood pulled over, but his messy hair fluffs out from underneath it, making Jaemin’s heart warm.

“Save me,” Jungwoo mumbles before standing to open the door. 

“Uh, hey Woo, have you seen my keys?” Mark looks at Jungwoo in worry, but sees Jaemin sitting there quietly as well. “Hi, Jaemin.”

Jaemin waves almost timidly at him.

Mark smiles at that, but quickly turns back to Jungwoo. “I took a nap, but then my keys were gone. Did you check by the room in the past hour at all?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Jungwoo side-eyes Jaemin’s innocent grin. “I’ve been doing check-ups until _this one_ here came to beg me for dogs again.”

“Dogs huh… Could you possibly bring goats or something instead?” Mark laughs with Jaemin, while Jungwoo looks incredibly unamused.

“Don’t give him ideas.”

“Sorry,” Mark mutters. He puts his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, rocking back and forth on his heels with a little jingle, looking awkwardly around the room.

“Well, I guess I actually lost my keys. I’ll go look in the dorm again.” Mark goes to the door, but not before saying a quick goodbye. 

Jaemin scrambles to follow, hearing Jungwoo let out a long sigh as he exits.

“Hey, Mark!” 

Said Mark smiles, but with a slight grimace when he turns to Jaemin. “We’re literally twenty feet apart, Jaemin…”

Jaemin speedwalks to catch up to Mark, who stops in front of his own dorm. “I know where your keys are!”

Mark blinks. “But—”

Jaemin reaches his hands out, but holds back for a moment. “Uh— can I?”

Mark nods hesitantly, very, very confused. Jaemin sticks his hands into the front pockets of Mark’s jeans, and if he did not have a goal in this, he would be absolutely bright red.

The cold metal hits Jaemin’s right index finger, and he pulls both hands out. The keyring hangs from his finger between the two of them.

Mark is completely pink, and when he spots the keychain, he coughs, fist covering his embarrassed face.

Jaemin just stares at Mark’s equally wide eyes, before blurting out, “Can you help me reconfigure my GPS system? I need directions to get into your pants.”

Mark splutters. “Jaemin!”

Jaemin throws his hands over his mouth, effectively dropping the keys as well. “I didn’t mean to say that!”

The two catch each other’s eyes again, and they burst into a fit of giggles. Thankfully, it’s only the afternoon, and either nobody is back at the dorms, or they can’t really complain about loud noises at this time of day, because Jaemin and Mark are laughing so hard, backs pressed against the door of Mark’s own dorm room, hands clutched over their mouths.

“I can’t believe you just—”

“Shut up!” Jaemin leans over, grabbing Mark’s wrists and pinning them to his chest so his hands stay covered over his mouth. “This stays between us. Nobody knows I said that.”

Mark struggles to wiggle out of Jaemin’s grip, but manages to still smile. “And that you stuck your hands in my—”

Jaemin slaps his hand back over Mark’s face, hitting his nose on the first try. “I said shut up!”

Eventually, their laughing dies out, and Jaemin steps back, letting his arms fall to his side, but Mark still has an easy grin on his face. 

“You wanna go out for lunch?”

“Aren’t you really busy? It’s a Saturday afternoon.”

Mark glances at his watch. “No, not really. This is usually my break time for the week.”

“I’m sure you have a million other things to do though.”

“And one of them is to have lunch with you,” Mark says. For a biochem major, supposedly a nerd, he’s too smooth for Jaemin’s liking. He’s usually the one with the one-liners and cheeky grins. 

“Alright then. Let’s go.”

 

The spew of comment mentions on Jaemin’s account later that night after he posted a picture of him and Mark out for some Shake Shack had him turning his phone off early, but not before sending Mark a goodnight text and a stupid pickup line he found on Reddit.

 

Mark makes it a personal goal to pick Jaemin up before he even texts. For some reason, he finds satisfaction in Jaemin’s surprised face when he pulls up in front of him, while Jaemin is mid-composing a text to ask for a pickup.

It makes Jaemin feel slightly guilty, that Mark somehow managed to memorize his schedule and still forced Jaemin not to pay, unwilling to give him any of his Venmo information. Jaemin’s pocket also feels heavy when he slides out of the backseat to Jeno’s apartment. 

“Like, I should pay him. I want to pay him! But he won’t let me!”

Donghyuck, who invited himself to Jeno and Jaemin’s study session for the day, snorts from his seat on the bed. “Out of context, that’s weird.”

Jaemin wants to throw the extra-sharp pencil at him, but his position on the ground, lying on his back on the wood floor, would not work to his advantage. “Shut up. You aren’t even supposed to be here.”

“Well, you decided to rant about this Mark Lee in a public area for me to hear, so as your friend, I’m obligated to give constructive criticism.”

Jeno sighs from his spot by his desk, turning slowly on his swivel chair. “Donghyuck, shut up. Jaemin, keep ranting.”

Jaemin sticks out his tongue at Donghyuck before continuing. “I just feel bad. He hardly has time with his job and school already, but now he’s spending so much extra time with me instead.”

“Dude, it just means he has a crush on you. How hard is that to believe?” Donghyuck exclaims. “You are an eligible bachelor in this economy, and he just wants to hit that, alright?”

Jeno brings his hands to his forehead, massaging his fingers into his temple. “Donghyuck, I said shut up.”

“It’s true—”

“Doesn’t mean you have to say it—”

Jaemin abruptly sits up, silencing their arguing. “Yes, Donghyuck, I know I’m hot—” Donghyuck nods in approval. “But I really doubt he would actually like me.”

Donghyuck is about to protest when Jaemin’s phone buzzed, continuously. Jaemin glances at the screen, and _that’s new_ …

He picks the phone up and brings it hesitantly to his ear, sliding the green phone button. “Hello?”

“You told me five pm, right?”

Jaemin searches the room for a clock, to find that it’s already half-past six. “Shit, did I?”

Mark hums. “You’re usually done by five.”

Jaemin scrambles to peel himself off the ground, then picks through the pile of books on the ground, his phone still wedged between his shoulder and ear. “Give me a minute?”

From the corner, Donghyuck smirks, hiding behind his book when Jaemin manages to find a sock to throw at him. 

“Sure,” Mark says, and promptly hangs up.

“You know, with how much you talk about Mark, I would think you introduced him to us,” Donghyuck says.

“I don’t introduce you to him because you are literally the clingiest person I’ve ever met.”

“Hey, the two of you have literally been spending every afternoon together for the past month!” Donghyuck ducks his head as Jaemin chucks another pencil at him.

“Well, that’s none of your business. We’re just friends hanging out.”

“How about this. I’ll plan a little trip for the three of us next weekend, and you invite Mark to drive us there. Then you guys can ‘hang out’ together in his car in a _different_ parking lot.”

Jaemin wonders if Jeno had lost as many brain cells as he did listening to Donghyuck.

Apparently, he didn’t, because he suddenly sits up. “Yeah, let’s go out. To like, the beach or something. I’m down.”

“I hate both of you.” Jaemin pulls open the bedroom door with a little more force than intended.

“I’m doing you a favor, Nana!”

 

Mark’s head is lulled against the window when Jaemin makes his way to the car. He really doesn’t want to wake him up, knowing that Mark hardly gets sleep anyways. Why was he even waiting for Jaemin?

Jaemin gently knocks on the back door, jolting Mark from his sleep. He slips into the backseat when Mark unlocks the doors.

“You didn’t have to wait, you know.”

Mark cracks his neck and rolls his shoulders. “I was around and wasn’t gonna do anything besides sleep anyways. Might as well.”

Jaemin cringes at the popping of joints, reaching over to hold Mark’s head so he wouldn’t move it anymore. “I think you need to see a doctor.”

“My back will survive.”

Mark turns the keys, and they’re off again. The short ride to their dorm always seems to get shorter. This time around, though, the sun is just setting, casting the roads with dim pink and purple. 

The past couple of weeks have fallen into a routine, of Mark coming to pick him up in the mornings for class across campus, then to Jeno’s apartment and back. Yes, it’s all in a short radius around campus, a ten-minute drive at most, but Jaemin still feels extra guilty. He’s tried to pay Mark, but has learned that the only way he’ll accept that payment is in food. So Jaemin spends a bit of extra time walking to the cafeteria to get the two of them a meal before he heads to his next destination.

The pair would sit in the backseat of Mark’s car and eat quickly, telling each other about themselves. And it’s fun. Mark’s so much more than the university all-star who doesn’t sleep. His habit of tapping his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of the music and excessive love of watermelon is so endearing to Jaemin, so much more than his achievements. 

This is also one of the more silent rides the two of them have had in a while. Out of nowhere, Jaemin says, “Would you like to hear some more pick-up lines?”

Mark chokes on his water. Luckily, they’re stopped at a red light for the time being, because Jaemin would rather not risk his life like that again.

“You have more?”

“Of course I do,” Jaemin scoffs. “Who do you think I am?”

“I— Go for it, I guess?”

Jaemin clears his throat and brain, trying his best to remember some from his research the previous night. “Is your battery dead? Because I'd love to jump you.”

Mark goes as red as the traffic light. “Jaemin, this isn’t good for your brain, I’m sure of it.”

“I enjoy corrupting my head with dumb things instead of the stuff I need for school. It’s a great pass time, if I’m honest.”

Mark pushes his hood back and musses up his hair the best he can. “Alright, I believe you.”

“Hey, are you busy tonight?” Jaemin finds himself saying, breaking the short silence that had ensued between them.

“Just catching up on homework. Nothing too important. What’s up?”

“If you’re down I kinda wanted to— wait, I have a line for this.” Jaemin clears his throat. “Since gas prices are so high, I think you should carpool with me to dinner tonight.”

Mark promptly chokes. “I really think you need to stop on the pickup line research.”

“Actually, I take back the dinner part. I’m too broke for that. Wanna get coffee or something?”

Their eyes meet in the rearview mirror. “It’s a Friday night, dude.”

“So? Did you want to get drunk with me? You’re still DD, you know.”

“I— Jaemin, you are kind of infuriating.” Instead of turning into the street to the parking lot of the dorms, Mark switches lanes, leading to the shopping center nearby with Jaemin’s favorite Starbucks. As the blinker clicks, though, Jaemin also hears him mutter, “but it’s also kind of cute.”

Jaemin just smiles to himself. He’s the real winner tonight, with his coffee and his Mark, all to himself

 

Donghyuck and Jeno both spam Jaemin’s DMs after he posts a picture of their matching coffee cups, with Jaemin’s name spelled “Jaymeen” and Mark as “Morck.”

The rest of the night, he lays on his stomach on Jungwoo’s side of the room, sipping his Americano as Mark sits at his desk, notes spread all over his desk. But every so often, he glances over at Jaemin, who is on his phone, and tosses a notebook at him to color code. 

Jaemin finds it incredibly domestic, and the round glasses perched on Mark’s nose are really making him feel things.

 

Jaemin ends up sitting in the passenger seat of Mark’s car for the first time, and he feels absolutely bare being so much closer to him. (Yes, it’s an exaggeration, but Mark’s hand accidentally falls to the console and it’s _right there_ for Jaemin to take.)

Donghyuck and Jeno are piled behind them, a giant box of food and other supplies in the middle seat. The two are arguing about the inflatable shark sitting between them as well, Jeno saying something about obstructing the view as Donghyuck yells back about how _Daddy Shark needs a taste of how car rides feel!_

The ride to the beach takes even longer than usual, with it being a sunny weekend in February, so Donghyuck has even more time to interrogate Mark, after he and Jeno stop fighting about the shark, of course.

“So, how come you only talk to Jaemin now, huh? I thought you were friends with Jeno first.”

“Uh…” Mark dares to look through his rearview mirror, only to meet Donghyuck’s cold gaze, eyes narrowed. “I talk to them both?”

“No, you hardly talk to Jeno. I would know.”

Jaemin turns all the way around to stare Donghyuck right back. “If you’re gonna get to know him, don’t interrogate his relationship with other people, Hyuck.”

“I would like to know about his feelings about the other people in this car, Nana.”

“But that’s hardly appropriate, is it?”

Donghyuck crosses his arms. “Fine.”

Jaemin sees Mark mouth a _thank you_ out of the corner of his eyes, and smiles to himself.

A few minutes pass, and Donghyuck grabs at Jeno’s phone, currently playing the music, and changes it from the upbeat pop to some old-school rock. Mark’s fingers drum against the steering wheel again. 

“So when are you guys gonna start dating?”

Jaemin is pretty sure the car may have flipped over from Mark’s sudden instinct to step on the brakes. Mark doesn’t though, just turning a bit redder but keeps driving like Donghyuck hadn’t said anything.

“Literally just ask him a normal question,” Donghyuck says with a sigh. He nudges at Daddy Shark, whose flipper pokes at Jeno’s side.

“Fine. How’s the swim team? Are you gonna show off some of your strokes today? I’m sure Jaemin will—”

“DONGHYUCK I SWEAR TO GOD—” If Jaemin weren’t sitting in the front seat, he would have dived back to strangle Donghyuck at this point.

“I, uh—” Mark’s grip on the steering wheel tightens slightly, and his fingers no longer tap to the music. “If you don’t mind me coming along, I guess. I haven’t been outside in a while.”

“There’s a reason we invited you, Mark,” Donghyuck says, finally deciding to be a bit more civilized. “Anyways, answer my question. I need to know if you’re actually safe enough for my Nana.”

So Mark talks. Donghyuck seems to take an actual interest in Mark’s school life, in his work in research while balancing with the monthly swim competitions. Jeno hasn’t spoken in the past thirty minutes, but when Jaemin glances back, his head was propped against the window, slow, even breaths coming out of his mouth.

Jaemin listens intently to Mark as well. It’s interesting, as they veer off to the smaller roads towards a more secluded beach, and the conversation also rounding to center around all three of their commonalities. 

And yes, it confirmed Mark’s deadly allergy of dogs. If he didn’t look as good as he did driving with one hand on the wheel, the other gesturing as he talked, Jaemin would have dropped him immediately. He realizes then, that he would definitely bring goats into the dorm instead of dogs.

 

Jaemin tags the four of them on his post as they drive back, this time with Donghyuck dozing off in the backseat, Jeno trying his best to fold the deflated Daddy Shark to fit in its box. Mark glows golden in the sunset, and his fingers manage to still drum against the wheel despite the soft classical violin Jaemin had changed the radio to.

Mark drops Donghyuck and Jeno off first at his apartment and proceeds to take Jaemin to the Shake Shack nearby next. 

“Don’t you have some more Ubering to do? I thought you said this was prime time for customers.”

“Oh.” Mark looks at his fries for a second. “I quit Ubering.”

Jaemin raises his eyebrows. 

“I realized that I should focus on school and swim. I have the opportunity that many don’t have to prioritize those, so a few extra dollars won’t really do much for me.”

“Is that why you haven’t bothered to give me your Venmo account?”

“I just don’t mind driving you around.” Jaemin’s oily fingers reach over towards Mark, and he’s sure they would have grabbed onto Mark’s own hands if he hadn’t realized what his autopilot had intended. He plucks a few fries out of the tray instead, popping them into his mouth.

“Thanks.”

At midnight, they walk into the dorms, parting ways halfway down the hallway. 

 

Jaemin doesn’t realize how much he misses his best friends until he can’t contact either of them. 

He had come to Jeno’s apartment a bit earlier than usual, only to hear the screaming and crying of Donghyuck, and the frustrated yells of Jeno. They usually argue, but never like this, never enough to make Jaemin want to cry along with the two.

So he ran back out, but Mark had left already, to be back in a few hours like Jaemin instructed. He’s too much of a wimp to text Mark, and he can’t bring himself to go back to Jeno’s apartment. So he drops his bag by his side, and plops down on the sidewalk. 

He’s a coward not to interfere with his best friends’ argument. But it’s not his problem, and his presence, he knows, will only worsen it. He’s sensed there was something wrong ever since he began to mention Mark in their conversations more, but didn’t think it actually ran this deep. 

Jaemin just sits there, phone in his hand. He flips the dark screen around and around. The repetition is the only thing that’s keeping him sane, at this point.

A couple more minutes pass, and he hears the door of the lobby open. The steps that follow are heavy, and Jaemin hears a couple of sniffles and a choked-out sob. He can only keep his head down as he sees a familiar pair of Converse pass his line of sight.

And it’s then that the sky begins to pour. Jaemin tosses his phone back into his bag and glances up at the gray clouds. The rain is cold and calming, as his face begins to burn. 

Somehow, Jaemin knows he’s the problem. He’s done something that has upset his relationship with the two of them, but he’s thinking back the best he can, and he just _can’t recall_ . There’s nothing he’s said and done that’s out of the ordinary, and it’s the most frustrating thing. As the rain soaks through his thin shirt, all he can think is, _what did I do wrong?_

He lowers his head to rest on his hands, propped on his knees. His fingers run through slick hair, and he knows that if he stays any longer, he’ll get really sick, and Mark would never forgive him for that. So Jaemin picks up his bag, and runs, out of the parking lot, and down the familiar path back to his dorms. 

It takes much longer than usual. He slips twice on the sidewalk, but he can’t bring himself to stop and rest. The rain only gets heavier. He can feel the phone buzzing in his bag, but Jaemin reaches to turn it off at a red light he waits at.

Goddamn, it’s been so long since he went home. The months of nonstop studying and working finally catches up to Jaemin, and he just wants to collapse in his mom’s arms right now.

Jaemin stumbles down the final street to the dorm rooms. Jungwoo would probably kill him for tracking rain and dirt into the pristine hallways, but he just really needs to go home.

His arms shake as he unlocks his room. The cold of the rain finally seeps into him, the temperature difference between the outdoors and the bedroom hurting Jaemin’s head. He drops the bag by the door, and takes the few steps to his bed, before promptly draping himself on the mattress.

It takes a few minutes to register that the wetness on his cheeks isn’t just rainwater.

It’s as if everything just came crashing down on him at once. His week hadn’t started off great, when his professor had passed back a test Jaemin knew he didn’t do well on. Then, Donghyuck and Jeno had both been cold to each other, unwilling to meet up together with Jaemin. Then, all together, the two cut off all contact with him. The group chat had gone silent. Jaemin had hoped that their weekly study session would be enough to bring them back together. Sure enough, it had forced Donghyuck and Jeno to meet up, but from what Jaemin overheard, it hadn’t been good. 

Mark’s the only constant folded in Jaemin’s life, it seems. He’s yet to let him down, and the thought of it manages to warm Jaemin up ever so slightly.

He reaches over to find his phone, fingers shaking as he turns it on to find several text messages from Donghyuck and Jeno. He clicks right past those to get to Mark’s phone number and calls.

“ _Jaemin?_ ”

“Hi.” His voice cracks, and Jaemin winces at how horrible he probably sounds.

“ _Are you alright?_ ”

“Not really.”

A beat of silence. “ _Where are you?_ ”

“My room.”

“ _I— Give me a bit. It might take a bit longer. Just… wait there._ ”

The phone beeps to signal the other side hanging up. 

 

It takes thirty minutes for Jaemin to gather himself, and then some overnight belongings, all into a backpack. He also changed out of his wet clothes from something drier and warmer. He can almost feel the cold coming, and is desperate to keep it out, downing some painkillers easily. In those thirty minutes, though, there also comes a knock at his door.

Dropping his bag on his bed, he walks over to open it, to find Mark in three layers of jackets, a worried expression plastered on his face. “Did you run back in the rain?”

“I— uh, yeah. Kinda wanted the exercise, I guess.”

“Did something happen? Between you and Jeno? Donghyuck?”

Jaemin just half-heartedly shrugs. “I dunno. They fought. And I can’t stop it. So I just ran. I feel horrible.”

Then there are arms around his shoulders, though it felt more like rough fabric more than actual arms, but it’s the thought that counts. Mark’s head instinctively leans to the side, pressing to Jaemin’s temple. Jaemin closes his eyes and inhales deeply, managing to control another wave of tears. 

“It’s not your fault, okay? They’ll work it out, and you’ll be right there to help them when they need you.” Mark’s hand rubs circles into Jaemin’s back. It’s the sense of comfort that he hardly ever gets. He misses quite much.

“Mark, can you take me home?”

There’s no hesitance in his answer. “Of course.”

 

There’s no Honda Civic this time. It’s a beat-up old truck that’s driven by stick, which also gives Jaemin kind of a heart attack. He takes the only other seat, next to Mark, and stuffs his bag by his feet. Mark tugs off one of the layers, the denim jacket, to reveal an olive turtleneck, despite it being late February. 

Jaemin takes his shoes off, and pulls his legs up, curling himself into a tight ball against the door. “You sure you’ll be fine driving so far?”

“Don’t worry, Jaemin.” Mark even glances down at the traveler’s mug of coffee in the cupholder. “You just sleep. We’ll be there in no time.”

Jaemin’s too tired to argue, nodding and smiling, before his eyes close on its own. “Thank you,” he mumbles, and finally rests his head against the window.

 

The two-hour ride comes to an end much quicker than he thought it would, and before he knew it, his eyes flutter back open to see his parent’s house out in front of him.

Mark’s looking at him, face unreadable, but still fond. Jaemin blinks a few times, and straightens his body in the seat. 

Clearing his throat, Mark quickly looks away. “We’re here.”

“I can tell.”

Neither of them move, but honestly, Jaemin’s fine with that. The truck certainly isn’t as comfortable as the Honda Civic, but the heater has been blasting for the past who knows how long, and Jaemin just feels warm, inside and out.

“Well, let’s go then,” Jaemin says, pushing the door open. It creaks, very,  _very_ loudly, and the two of them wince at the sound. 

“Are you sure I can stay over? I can come to pick you up later this week…” Mark scratches the back of his head.

“Don’t be stupid, it’s like two hours, and I need to get back to school by Monday anyway.” Jaemin jumps out to the sidewalk.

“I— Alright. I’ll go grab some stuff from the store real quick.”

 

Jaemin nearly sprints into the house, and his mom is in the living room, clutching her chest when her son comes barreling into the room, arms wide open. Jaemin cuddles into her arms, backpack still on him, but it doesn’t matter, because he’s missed being home for far too long. It’s a breath of fresh air, after being stuck in college for so such a long time.

His dad comes home from work soon after and gives Jaemin a hug as well. Their son has grown up always wanting affection, ever since he was a little baby. Then, Mark also arrives with a bag of stuff from Walmart, just so he’ll survive in a foreign place for a couple of days.

Jaemin’s parents kind of just look at Mark in surprise and interest. Jaemin not only comes home unannounced, but also with a boy who has to stay over. That’s new.

But Mark’s still nearly perfect in Jaemin’s eyes, not that he would say that outloud, because he also has a bag of takeout with him for the whole family. Jaemin’s parents greet the other boy with open arms as well. 

It’s easy between all of them. The TV is on with the evening news, and Jaemin’s parents ask questions about school and their lives every so often. They both answer with vigor, now that they aren’t physically on campus. The location itself has managed to relieve much of the stress already.

That night, Jaemin pulls Mark into his old room, and as an only child, it’s also the second biggest room. The old sofa hasn’t been moved out yet, so Mark claims that spot, as Jaemin pats down the bed that’s probably used as a table more often than slept on in the past couple of months.

It feels more like a sixth-grade sleepover, with Jaemin wrapped to his chin in blankets, Mark sleeping not too far away from him, the two whispering despite being fully capable adults with no bedtime. 

But it’s in that moment, when the two of them are giggling about some stupid story from Jaemin’s high school life, that he realizes how much he enjoys Mark’s company. 

“Mark?”

“Yes?”

The darkness makes it easier for Jaemin to talk without second doubts.

“You’re a good person. I like you.”

“Oh. That’s nice.”

Jaemin rolls over. “Like, I really like you. Beyond… friendship, or whatever.”

“You don’t seem to be good at this,” Mark laughs. “But I get it.”

“Good… good.”

“I like you too, for the record.”

Jaemin lets his mouth curl into another wide smile. “Good to hear.” He’s said that word a bit too many times in the past minute. “And thank you. For bringing me here. I really needed it.”

“No problem. I’d take you anywhere you need.”

With that, Jaemin turns back to face the ceiling, and lets well-needed sleep overtake him.

 

When Mark finally posts on his Instagram after a month-long hiatus, it’s a picture of their hands intertwined. Of course, there’s a blurry background of fries and a chocolate milkshake, but somehow, that adds a nice little touch. Jeno and Donghyuck spammed the group chat until Jaemin ended up just calling the two to explain that he now had a very handsome boyfriend who loves to drive them everywhere.

  
  


Mark opens the door for Jaemin, bowing a little to the other with a smile. “I have a surprise for you today.”

Jaemin pauses, one leg awkwardly perched in the car already. Mark usually doesn’t do _surprises_.

“I wrote you a poem. To rival the pickup lines.” Mark clears his throat, closing his eyes to collect himself. “Roses are red, violets are blue, I have a knife. Get in the car.”

From the backseat, Renjun and Donghyuck collectively roll their eyes.

“You’re too sweet,” Jaemin coos, stepping into the car completely, but not before pinching Mark’s cheek.

“You two are disgusting,” Renjun groans. “Why did make me come again?”

“Because this is a fun trip that requires everyone,” Jeno says, sliding into the other side of the backseat, sandwiching Renjun between himself and Donghyuck. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have joined. It’s Disneyland, Junnie.”

“Absolutely disgusting.”

Mark’s taking his seat in front of the wheel already, looking through the rearview mirror at the three and smiling smugly. “You either deal with it or get an Uber for the next three hours.” He then revs the engine and exits the parking lot.

“You _are_ the Uber,” Donghyuck groans.

“Ex-Uber!” Jaemin singsongs. He reaches over and takes Mark’s free hand in his, lacing their fingers together across the console. “Hey, I have another line for you”

The three people behind them have all gone silent, ignoring the two lovebirds in front. Otherwise, they may puke, not from carsickness.

Jaemin brings their intertwined hands to his lips, pressing a little kiss atop their fingers. “I'm lost, can you tell me which road leads to your heart?”

Mark laughs softly. “You’re so cheesy now.”

“I’ve always been cheesy!”

“No, you used to be weird cheesy. Now you’re just cheesy.”

Jaemin puckers his lips. “But did it work?”

Mark takes his eyes off the road for a split second. “Of course. When has it not?” 

“Good.” Jaemin looks back to the road as well. “Good to hear.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/johnshuaa)  
> [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/johnshuaa)


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